Calling This calling is either with the tongue or with the heart Calling distributed Whence ariseth this distinction of mentall and vocall prayer confirmed by the mouth of Christ This people honoreth me with their lips but their hearts are farre from me Mat. 15. 8. We are to call vpon God with the tongue 1. For we haue In calling on God we must vse the tongue and why this priviledge aboue all other creatures and shall wee not imploy it in the Lords service 2. We are to giue vp all our members as so many weapons of righteousnesse to glorifie him and is not this one of the principall And some-where David calls his tongue his glory Psal 30. 13. And it is good for vs so to doe 1. It will be a meanes to keepe our minds from wandring 2. The voyce stirres vp affections and raiseth them to an higher temper 3. In so doing we shall find the Lord putting phrases in our mouth guiding it now and then in a wonderfull manner farre beyond all naturall apprehension 4. And how can others ioyne with vs or know when to say Amen should we be silent When thou prayest alone imitate Hannah let thy lips moue not thy words 1 Sâ—m 1. 13. be heard else it may seeme a sensible signe of Pharisaicall palpable hypocrisie And the heart may not be separated in this action 1. For Also the heart and why such prayers are most acceptable to God 2. They onely haue the promise to be heard 3. Otherwise they cannot be fervent let a mans breath flow from his mouth by a narrow passage were the hands hot it would coole them but if it proceed from the heart the lips being wide open were they cold it would warme them so prayer that springs from the heart is hot from the tongue onely cold as ice 4. As the Lord is the highest obiect we looke at in Prayer so the heart is the lowest center he regards in this dutie these two in all holy actions of this nature may not be disioyned 1. Vaine then are the prayers of many who call vpon God but with the tongue onely If this be not profane babling what can be Thus pray our Papists and rude ignorant Protestants so prayed the old Pharisees Christ checkes them yet their custome continues vnto this day But let vs conioyne heart and tongue else wee doe but labour in vaine What profit can wee expect in bending the knee bowing the bodie spreading the hands and smiting of the breast when our hearts are roauing from the Lord Is this to pray Is this to call aright Is this to please God Nothing lesse What is the tongue but the hearts messenger He therefore that vseth the one and not the other is like to him that runnes before he hath his errand These men may seeme to pray in the iudgement of others but before GOD they are but vaine bablers Vpon God To him is it and to no other that wee must II. pray Obserue here how God is one in essence three in subsistence the essence is not divided but distinguished When as wee say East West and North these are not parts essentiall to the world but names onely of distinction so may we say of the former in regard of GOD for the Sonne and the holy Ghost are the same individuall essence with the Father and hence it will follow that he that prayeth to one prayeth to all but as the Apostle speaketh of another thing to every one in his owne order 1 Cor. 15. 23. Vnderstand that in this definition we speake of God the Father for teachings sake And vpon God must we call First For who but He 1 King 8. 39. discerneth the spirit of man Who but He knoweth all the hearts of the sonnes of men Iâ—â— onely he that is acquainted with all our wants and vnderstandeth what is best for vs. Secondly He is also present at all times in all places to heare vs helpe vs the Lord is alwayes neare at hand so is neither Saint nor Angell Thirdly And is not God sole Lord of all things both in earth and heaven Who made vs but He Who hath wherewith to satisfie vs but He And then vpon whom should we call but He Fourthly Is not He also the obiect of our faith Shall we then beleeue in one and pray to another Will that stand with sound reason Sith then that God is omniscient omnipresent omnipotent and the principall Obiect of our Faith it followes wee are onely bound to pray to Him 1. Whence by the way wee may confute the Romanists who pray to Saints to Angels but doe they vnderstand our wants Are they present in all places What haue they they haue not received And may wee put our confidence in creatures Were not this to seeke to a blind guide Relie on a bruised Reed And when the Sunne shineth brighteâ—â— to light a Waxe-candle It is a never-â—rring Canon thaâ— He Exod. 22. 20. who sacrificeth to any gods saue vnto the Lord onely shall vtterly be destroyed they that will doe the first let them expect the second ther is but one to God the father namely Christ but many to the sonne comparing him to a Prince that hath seuerall petitions preferred vnto him by the common subiects that passe through the hands of his neerest fauorites And they say that he is a bad sonne meaning Christ who wil doe nothing for the entreaty of his mother vnderstanding the blessed Virgin but doth not Christ bid vs come vnto Mat. 12. 28. him that he will pray to the father for vs to whom then should we goe is he not our neerest kinsman our eldest brother our head our husband But if any lust to be contentious we haue no such custom neither the Churches of God 2. Againe here is censured and condemned too the ignorant amongst vs. How many may wee heare cry God blesse me father of heauen haue mercy on me Lord forgiue me which words be good we grant but hauing no knowledge of or relation to Christ are no better then vaine babling the truth is that in all our petitions wee should haue reference to him though not alwayes expressed in words yet conceiued and retained in our minds this may be the cause why Daniel looked out of the window when he prayed towards the Temple because it was a type of Christ and thereby would teach vs that there is no going to God without Christ Iesus And as we speake to the soule of man by way and meanes of the bodie so must we to the father of all spirits through the vaile of the humanitie of Christ our mediatour 3. And by this wee may iudge what to thinke of the prayers of the Iewes and Turke and heathen who either haue not heard of Christ or deny him are not their petitions to no purpose shall they speed and preuaile before God can they expect Cornelius his answer thy prayers are Acts. 10. 4. heard thy
excell the principall in some one thing as the foote by fleeing may saue the body when the head cannot moue without it So the least of Gods ordinances in one thing or other may be more profitable then the highest For â—xample For the plantation of a Church the conuersion of the sinner the begetting of faith the information of the iudgement and the directing of man in the pathes of righteousnes Preaching doubtlesse hath the preheminence But in easing of the troubled heart by confession in recounting the great and many things the Lord hath done for vs in praysing him for his benefits and obtaining of comfort and helpe in the time of need and to a sinner converted prayer I thinke is the more profitable Obiect Sol. It will be said We cannot pray without preaching True not well neither can wee preach well without praying Againe faith comes by preaching and without faith no Obiect prayer We grant it yet prayer doth preserue it increase it Preaching Sol. is the procreant but Prayer the conservant cause of faith the one is as the Mother the other as the Nurse We in preaching heare God speake to vs in praying we Obiect 3. speake to him True it is that the Lord in the word truly preached speaketh Sol. to man yet not immediately And so in praying doth God speake also For the Spirit of God doth direct and assist all the faithfull to pray And in this following respect Prayer seemes to haue the prayse For in Preaching God by man speaketh vnto man But in Praying Man by the Holy Ghost doth speake vnto God the Father And on the other part Obiections are brought as this Obiect That which is for another thing is of lesse value then that thing for which it is But preaching is for prayer therefore not to be preferd aboue it This rule seemes to me not alwaies to hold true Example Sol. The father and the Mother are for the sonne therefore the sonne is better then they God was in Christ and redeemed the world by him therefore the world is more worth then the sonne of God This were a doubtfull if not a blasphemous consequence Yet obserue this that one thing may be for diuers ends as the Redemption of man by Christ was not solely for the good of man but for his owne and the glory of his father and Christ as he was God was both the end and the meanes so that sometimes things be not as they seeme to be I will to and fro dispute the question no longer for my first generall answere shall stand for all And none needs to doubt of the truth of it Onely thus let vs conclude that as Christ said Giue that to Caesar which is Caesars and to God that which is is Gods So giue we to preaching that which is its due and to prayer its priviledge also And in the second place this should teach vs thankfulnes Vse 2. to God for the word preached Alas what were all other fauours worth if we had not the Gospell to conuert vs and to sanctifie vs to God all things to vs We esteeme not of this fauour as we ought and as it deserveth Haue wee a guide to direct vs being out of the way a Phisitian to remoue some dangerous disease or but a remedy to turne our cloth into a better colour We esteeme highly of such things But haue too little respect vnto the word taught the onely meanes to heale our spirituall maladies and to conuert vs vnto the Lord. And if this be not thanksworthy then all we haue is of no worth Praise wee the Lord therefore that our visions faile not Againe would we and our children be converted and Vse 3. healed then let vs depend on the word taught Moses Rod in Moses hand did worke miracles and so the word in the mouth of the men of God will destroy the cursed worke of Sathan in vs and make vs in mind and life like vnto Christ Iesus We must wash in this poole attend at this porch and suffer this water to fall vpon vs so shall the Leprosie of our sinne be washt away and we be transformed into the image of the Lord wherin we were at the first created But how few mind or practise these things Yet it s a truth that there is no way to bring vs ordinarily vnto heauen but the diligent hearing of the word preached Last of all Let vs all strive to continue the word taught Vse 4. amongst vs for if it faile the people perish Nay we should to the vttermost of our power with the Thessalonians cause the Gospell to run and abound in all places this is a worke of worth and great necessity You often and it s good speake in the praise of that in his Art matchlesse Peere Sir Francis Drake for deriving the water into your Corporation and you are at daily expence to repaire the breaches of its passage And shall we then neuer be at any charge to cause the water of life to slow through the Townes and places about vs by the Conduits of faithfull preachers Nay would to God some did not stop this wells mouth or rather hinder the passage But woe to them whosoeuer they be Of the Gentiles We might gather diuers things from these few words being diuersly considered but the cheife I take is this that When the Lord will call and saue a people hee rayseth vp the Doct. 6. fittest instruments for that purpose Who fitter then Paul to be a Preacher to the Gentiles or to deliuer Israel then Moses being skilfull in all their learning Peter was a man resolute and fiery therefore the more meete to deale with the stiffnecked Iewes And the Lord sent Papists to Pp ' for their conuersion for they knew their iuglings and were able to beate them with their owne weapons Because the Lord is wise in all his wayes and skilfull in Reas 1. all his enterprises A man of vnderstanding will doe his best to haue his matters effected and shall not the fountaine of all wisedome worke wisely Againe the Lord doth this in respect of the people for Reas 2. they naturally are subiect to quarrell to make objections and to deny the meanes of their conuersion Now a man well qualified will remoue their doubts conuince them in iudgment discouer their folly and so the sooner draw them to repentance For though God can worke and sometimes doth with weake or no meanes at all yet this is his Method in his ordinary course of proceeding By this poynt we may partly tell what to iudge of many Vse 1. places and people in the world Doth the Lord send them fit Pastors then hope the best but if not feare the worst This must teach vs to reuerence the Lord in his workes Vse 2. and not to passe by without casting our eye on his wise prouidence For its worthy of our obseruation and imitation I feare
and man but a faire winde them depart What shall I more say We haue raging malice and blind turbulent zeale hanging like a Meteor betwixt heauen and earth that as an ill-couch't fire wâ—rke le ts fly at all But hitherto we haue spoken in the abstract we will now a little touch the concrete We haue had with a crosse winde set sometimes on our shores the vulgar Atheist who saith in his heart there is no God and if in speech he professe him yet in practice hee denies him The proud trecherous purblind Papist iust of that brotherhood it s to be fear'd who erring from the true way stumbled on treason and brake their neckes at Tiburne Yet these spread their good deedes as the Heauens ouer the North-pole and hang their saluation like the earth vpon nothing The Hominisied Godified Familist who holds himselfe if once full come to be as perfect as Adam his father was in Paradise And we say so too but then hee must be considered as hee was after his fall not before it The mutable newfangled Anabaptist who will weare no weapons haue all things common yet wrangles with his brethren whether hee is to be baptized on the head or heeles for a worthie reason Christ it s said washed his Disciples with water on the feete The strict precise Separatist censuring his equals speaking ill of them in authoritie whose vniust rent from our congregations like the diuisions of Ruben haue Iudg. 5. 15. made great thoughts of heart And to conclude for I am too prolixe we haue had the câ—mmon Protestants who lead their liues in Folio especially at that neuer-to-be-forgotten golden voyage wherein Sâ— W. R. so many went they knew not whither who carryed themselues as if their tongues had beene pieces their breath Gunpowder the opening of the mouthes the giuing of fire with the match and their oathes piercing Bullets to haue wounded their aduersaries sometimes filching and fighting whose swords like Ioabs would droppe out on the least occasion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stepping from shoare to ship would drinke soule-slaying healths euery carowse being seconded with the report of a Cannon as if powder and shott had beene onely appointed to haue beat the aire scare Crowes make old folke to start and Cattell to runne a gadding Wee haue seene and shall againe the Dutch drinking and our English for company take their shares with them vntill they began to sle-ecke en-de sny that is stabbe and slash that their blood and bowels runne about their heeles If this then was thus as it was indeed shall not the men of God draw forth the arrowes of Gods vengeance set them in the noch and with an angry countenance let them rattle amidst the congregation whet the two edged sword of the word make it sharpe and keene to the hewing of the body of sinne and the shredding of such siewes of corruption asunder As the Prophet said Is this 2 Kin. 5. 26. a time to take bribes so may I Is this a people amongst whom to cry peace peace No verilie Wherefore good Reader out of thy ingenuous disposition beare with my rude rough and vncâ—uth style And thus I commend thee to God these labours to thine and the worlds light with my selfe to thy fauorable censure and faithfull prayers yet not without a setled resolution if the Lord will to proceede further in the publishing the remainder of this Epistle Thine in the Lord Iesus I. B. The principall heades handled in this Chapter verse 1. Doctrines page PReachers are to maintaine the dignitie of their persons 8 How a good name may be gotten 9 2. Great sinners may become Saints 9 Cautions to be vsed that grace be not abused 11 3. Any relation to Christ is of great importance 12 4. The lawfulnesse of our calling is to be iustified 13 Trials if we be lawfullie called to preach the Gospell 15 5. Promotion commeth from the Lord. 15 6. Spirituall life is procured by the Gospell 16 7. Saluation obtained through Christ Iesus 17 Verse 2. Doctrines page 1. Persons of good hopes are chieflie to be instructed 23 2. There is a spirituall kinred in the world 24 3. Preachers are chiefly to affect whom they haue begot or confirmed in the faith 25 4. Salutations are not for complement but pietie 26 The kinds of salutations 26 Who are to be saluted 27 A twofold limitation to be obserued 27 Whether we my salute him we know not 27 5. The grace of God greatlie to be wished for 27 How grace may be got 28 6. Mercie much to be desired 29 7. Peace a principall thing to be sought for 30 8. Men without grace haue no true and sound peace 31 9. The degrees of affection cannot be couered 32 10. None more need of mercy than ministers 33 10. God is a father and how manie waies 34 12. All Spirituall blessings come from God the father 36 13. Christ Iesus is a Lord. 37 14. All Christians are fellow seruants 38 15. Doctrines deduced not handled 39 Vers 3. Doctrines page 1. Good men are thankfull 42 Thankfulnes defined 43 Thankfulnes distributed 44 Impediments of thankfulnes 45 Helpes to true thankfulnes 46 2. Carnall friends will become foes if a man embrace the Gospel 47 3. Against all opposition we are to maintaine the truth of our profession 48 4. It s an honour for man to serue God 49 5. A Christians course is laborious 50 What is required in the seruice of God 52 How God may be knowne of vs. 53 What the law and Gospell require 54 Wherein spirituall power is exercised 54 6. The Church had the same faith before the comming of Christ which now it hath after him 56 7. The name of the righteous shall be had in remembrance 57 8. The seruice of God is then commendable when it is accompanied with a pure conscience 58 Conscience in generall defined 59 Corrolaries from the definition deduced 59 Conscience distributed 61 What a good conscience is 62 What an euill conscience is 62 A good conscience is legall or euangelicall 63 What a legall good conscience is 63 How it is distributed into compleat or incompleat 63 A compleat legall good conscience defined 63 How many things concurre to a compleat legall good conscience 64 What followeth from thence 64 An Euangelicall good conscience what it is 68 What needfull to the making vp of it 68 How it differs from a legall 69 What necessarie to procure it 70 It is neuer separated from the legall in a Christian 72 The effects of conscience 74 Its application 74 Consciences charge 80 9. Faithfull men are frequent in prayer 85 Prayer described 87 Calling vpon God distributed 87 In calling vpon God we must vse the tongue and why 87 Also the heart and why 88 How to procure the spirit 94 What is to be done before prayer 97 What in prayer 98 Helpes to auoyde wandring thoughts in prayer 99 Helpes to pray with feruencie 100 What is to be done after
for by the first he is re-beloved but by the second in a greater maner the manifestation of affection breedes affection as it is apprehended whether we respect truth or measure This argueth that the loue of many as Lot said of Zoar Vse 1. is but a little one so weake a spring can haue no deepe fountaine so small branches no great vertue in the roote and so feeble a flame no abundance of fewell for causes produce effects proportionable to their internall power doe they not Try then as the truth so the measure of thine owne and Vse 2. thy friends affection by the outward effects he that loues much will declare it by many prayers sundry actions this did Mary to Christ Christ to the people Beniamin must haue better attyre a double portion if Ioseph respect him aboue his brethren Shall Ionathan dye He shall not die if the hearts of Sauls subiects cleaue vnto him If Iesus loue Lazarus he will weepe groane in spirit and cry with a powerfull voyce Lazarus come forth for vndoubtedly such as the heat is within will be the burning without much loue much manifestation of it in words in action Or it may be Paul addeth mercie to grace and peace because that Timotheus was a Minister for the like he doth to Titus and omits it in all other his salutations to the Churches and people in generall to teach vs that Ministers of all men stand in need of mercie Doct. 10. And that not onely in respect of themselues but in regard of their place and calling To whom was this command chiefely exhibited Be mercifull as your heavenly Father is mercifull but to the men of God Or why did Elisha pray Let thy spirit be doubled vpon me but to confirme the truth of this Doctrine 2 King 2. 9. Luk. 6. 36. For they are in Gods roome resemble his Maiestie and Reas 1. therefore haue the more need of mercie in abundance Againe they are daily exercised about men in the greatest Reas 2. depth of misery and therefore store of mercie is necessary for such where much is to be vsed much is required This doctrines vse is scarce dreamed of or if it be but little Vse 1. practised Who that is a Preacher from the forenamed grounds seeketh to be rich in mercie Alas wee consider not how we resemble God What miserie the most are in and hence it followeth that Ministers many times are the most mercilessemen This must teach Preachers a lesson worth the learning Vse 2. namely to exceed all men in grace and mercy as Saul did the common people by the head and shoulders for doe they not resemble God Are they not the Wells where miserable sinners are to fill their emptie soules with the water of mercy Doth not each Ambassadour striue to resemble his Lord who sends him If the Preachers pit be dry how can we expect any in the common ditch Are not the Priests lips to preserue knowledge And shall their hearts be emptie of the spirit These haue rather need of a double portion I haue heard of a fire kindled in a towne that tooke hold of every house and passed by the Preachers I would not haue it so in regard of the spirit for how ever the former was accounted a mercie sure I am this latter is an heavie iudgement for all men should runne as the poore to the great mens houses to kindle their turffe at the Preachers Altar Where others striue for double honor double maintenance labour thou for double holines double mercie thus to doe is to doe wisely and but thy dutie neither From God the Father In this phrase two things concerning Doct. 11. God may be observed first that He is a Father God may be stiled a Father either essentially or personally Do ye so reward him O ye foolish people and vnwise is he not your Father This may be vnderstood essentially Deut. 32. 6. The God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ 2 Cor. 11. 31. knoweth that I lie not here it is to be accepted personally Againe he is either a Father in generall or in speciall in generall as he is the Creator and conserver of all creatures hence he is called the Father of spirits Heb. 12. 9. Of Angels Iob. 1. 16. Of men haue we not all one Father Mala. 2. 10. And in speciall he is a Father and that of Christ or of the faithfull 1. Of Christ as he is the Word and begot from all eternitie the Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his workes of old I was set vp from everlasting or ever the earth was Pro. 8. 22. 23. 2. Of Christ by personall vnion Thou art my sonne I to day begot thee Psal 2. 7. Acts 13. 33. And of the faithfull he is likewise a Father in speciall 1. By regeneration Of hâ—s owne good-will be gate he vs by the Word of truth I am 1. 18. Or 2. By adoption Now are we the sonnes of God and haue received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Father Father Rom. 8. 15. 1 Ioh. 3. 2. And haue the faithfull God for their Father in a peculiar Vse 1. manner Then in the first place we may take knowledge of their dignitie David could say Thinke ye that it is a small 1 Sam. 18. 22. thing to be sonne in-Law to a King Was that such a priviledge Then what is this O that the faithfull knew their owne worth Let the faithlesse fume chafe and swell till they burst yet one of these is worth a thousand of them the world is not worthy of such for is not the righteous better than his neighbour How readest thou Pro. 12. 26. Let the faithfull learne hence to know the God of their Vse 2. 1 Chron. 28. 9 Fathers and to serue him with a perfect heart and a willing minde will not a sonne honour his Father Must we respect the person of man And shall not wee regard the glory of God who is our Father How if we neglect him Can we be excused Doth not he expect it Deserue it And is it not our dutie to doe it Giue we him then his deserved titles make we mention of his many mercies secke we his glorie learne we his will and doe it for not every one that cryeth Lord Lord but he that doth the will of the Mat. 7. 2â— Father which is in heaven shall be blessed As he is our Father in speciall so let vs honour him in a singular maner the rule of creation requires it much more of re-creation and adoption Againe Art thou a faithfull person Then looke vp to Vse 3. God thy Father expect a worthy portion at his handes Can they that are evill giue to their children good things Luk. 11. 13. and shall not your heavenly Father giue to you the things whereof ye haue need Be not then in doubt but beleeue cry not What shall I eat drinke
demand is granted Alas alas all our cryes to God hauing no eie to Christ are but as so many drops of water spilt vpon the ground Wherefore let all good Christians blesse God for their knowledge and mourne for such mens ignorance let vs conuert Noahs petition and say Gen. 9. 27. God perswade Shem to dwell in the tents of Iaphet 4. Finally this being thus let vs first learne to know Christ secondly to put our confidence in him thirdly and neuer dare to approch before the throne of God without him no comming to Ioseph without Beniamin to God without Note Iesus Wouldest thou haue euill remoued from thee thinke on his passion which speaketh better things than the bloud Heb. 12. 24. of Abel Wouldest thou haue all good conferred vpon thee remember his actiue obedience for thereby hee hath purchased all blessings But take heed of the Romanists errour who maintaine that Christ is mediator according to his humane nature for the humanitie without the deitie profits nothing they vnderstanding not how the distinct persons in the God-head haue their proper operations and that Adam sinned immediatly against the first person though mediatly against the other haue fallen into this slough and haue defiled themselues by whose harme learne we to beware Being inabled by the spirit As no man can come vnto the IV. 1 Cor. 12. 3. father but by the sonne so can no man say that Christ is the Lord but by the holy Ghost how often are wee commanded to pray in the spirit 1 Cor. 14. 15. Eph. 6. 18. Iude 20. vnderstand by Spirit either the holy himselfe or his graces within vs for these two are put indifferently one for the other as grieue not the holy Spirit the holie Ghost fell on them and quench not the spirit he hath giuen vs his spirit neither may they be separated in any action of a Christian For as the spirit doth worke grace in vs so doth he cooperate stirring it vp and mouing it as an instrument in the hand For so good a cause will not be absent from its owne building And this ability consisteth First in direction leading vs into all truth Iohn 14. 26. And secondly in power for hee helpeth vs against all our infirmities Rom. 8. 26. First For the wisdome of the flesh is enimitie against God and is not subiect Rom. 8. 7. to the law of God neither can be Spirituall actions must proceede from spirituall principles else they are base contemptible Secondly Againe euery good act must be gin in God and end in him as the father through Christ to be desired in regard of number or perfection of degrees Now carnall things are such as are for necessitie or for delight the one makes for our being the other for our well-being and all things are to bee desired petitioned for Things euill be either sinne or the fruits of it to wit affliction And sinne is either originall or actuall we must pray that the first may be abolished cleane wasted Actuall sinne is that either we haue committed or may commit For the former we must pray it may be pardoned for the latter that it may be preuented As for afflictions they are either temporall or eternall We are to pray the Lord that they may be put from vs totally finally Thus haue you a briefe of the particulers or materials about which we are to be exercised in prayer all which for matter and method are laid downe in that exact paterne recorded in the Gospell Mat. 6. And all these must we beg for First because the Lord hath giuen vs a promise his word is gone out that whatsoeuer wee shall aske he will heare vs. Secondly againe without the fruition of good and the remotion or preuention of euill we cannot liue the life of grace ne not of nature here much lesse escape death and possesse life eternall hereafter 1. Here is an error confuted of them who hold that we may aske spirituall but not corporall or carnall things at the hand of God because Christ saith Seeke yee first the kingdome of God and these things shall be giuen you Mat. 6. 33. this was not the Lords scope in that place but to disswade his Disciples from a distracted care about foode and rayment For they vsed to cry What shall I eat and wherewith shall wee be clothed as also giue them a sure rule and sound direction to auoyd the one and procure the other For if we could exercise our selues about heauenly earthly things would be banisht out of our mindes and should wee speede in the former we might haue better hope to preuaile in the latter And doth he not in the same Sermon teach vs to craue our daily bread and haue not all the people of God vsed this in practise Gen. 28. 20. Pro. 30. 8. 2. And this serues to reproue a whole world of people some pray for corporall but not for spirituall things Others desire common but begge no speciall gifts from God or if they doe they neither regard number nor measure A third sort entreat that sinne past may be pardoned but not corruption for the present wasted nor the effects of it for future time prevented And there be millions of men and women who onely craue that affliction may be remoued in this life but make not one petition that the causes of it may be abolisht or death eternall put farre from them in the world to come May we not say of all these They aske not or Iames. 4. 2. 3â— if they doe they aske amisse 3. Let vs be of a contrary practise and sue to God for all things What Shall he promise and not performe Shall we seeke good and not desire evill to be remoued from vs Begge common graces speciall gifts all that 's good at the hand of God Open thy mouth wide and he will fill it Craue Psal 81. 10. pardon for sinne past prevention for time to come Pray that originall sinne the seed of all wickednesse may be daily wasted punishments remoued all kinde of afflictions sanctified God is rich in mercie he giues liberally to them that aske him Princes giue gifts according to the dignitie of their persons not the desert of the receiver so doth the Lord therefore aske what thou wilt and he shall conferre it on thee in due time And as there be many sorts of prayers vse thou all Publike private set conceived mentall vocall Ephes 6. 18. simple compound in verse in prose and as the Apostle inioynes the Ephesians Pray all manner of prayer Imitate the Gamsters of our times who if they gaine not by one game fall to another this doe and thou shalt prosper Having finished the description of Prayer we come in the second place to giue particular directions for the better performance of it Where note that some goe before some with and some after Prayer 1. Before thou prayest meditate 1. Of God 2. Of thine What is to
be done before Prayer owne basenesse 3. Of thy present condition and 4. Of the former successe which thou thy selfe and others haue had in the done despaire to speed for it s not enough to haue faith but in every action to vse it now when the vnderstanding is misguided marke this then faith is idle not exercised The last thing that must accompany prayers is fervency Iaâ— 5. 26. The energeticall operatiue fervent Prayer is it which speedeth prevaileth This is the fire which must heat it concoct it else God will reiect it never regard it reward it the which may by these subsequent helpes be procured 1. Vnderstand the worth of what thou desirest crauest Helpes to pray with fervencie for that will fire our affections set an edge on our petitions He who knowes the excellency of grace mercy and peace of the remission remotion and prevention of sinne and the effects of sinne cannot but open his mouth wide send forth his petitions with sighes and groanes and strong cryes 2. Thinke how necessary these things of worth are for thee Why doe beggars cry so earnestly but from an apprehension of their present necessitie great misery Is it not Mat. 8. 28. Luk. 18. 41. evident What caused the blind man to cry O thou sonne of David haue mercie on me The Apostle Helpe Lord or else I perish but the want and worth of that they desired 3. Get loue to the thing thou askest strong affections cause fervent prayers earnest petitions Christ louing Lazarus well wept and groaned in spirit when he prayed for Iob. 11. 33. 34 him David did the like for his sonne Where affection is wanting there will be cold praying Doe we not see this in Sutors 4. Be humble in thine owne eyes conceiue thou art lesse than the least of Gods mercies Proud persons either never pray or but coldly luke warmely He that would leape highest stoopes lowest so he that would pray with fervencie must haue humilitie 2 Chron. 33. 11. 12. 5. Increase thy faith for as Powder the shot so faith sendeth out prayers furiously fervently a great faith will cause men to burne in the spirit and to cry mightily to the Lord God of heaven Mat. 15. 28. 6. In one word Cherish no sinne in thee He who steales his bread will pray coldly for a blessing on 't more might be added but these shall suffice And after Prayer somewhat is to be observed also 1. We What after must vse all lawfull meanes for the procuring of what we Prayer Ezech. 36. 37. haue prayed for He that keepeth not the condition may not expect the performance of the promise or band 2. And we must watch and waite for the things we haue asked at the hands of God these two are often coupled together Ephes 6. 18. Col. 4. 2. Pray and watch Were it not madnesse to preferre a petition to a Prince yet never attend an answer To craue an Almes and not looke and stay for the giuers pleasure 3. If thy demand be not granted at the first thou must not faint despayre but pray still hope and waite still great Luk. 18. 1. men doe not alwayes reward the Musitian at the first sound or ditty for then he would straight be gone mis-spend the gift and play at another Window so dealeth the Lord for we are apt to cease praying and things easily got are soone forgot little regarded 4. And when thy request is granted thou must be thankfull Prayer Watching and Prayses are linked together some fayle in the first many in the second but the most in the last David â—ould blesse the Lord when he had heard Psal 116. 12. his petition so must we In the third place wee are to declare why Prayer is so Prayer is a difficult dutie difficult a dutie to be performed 1. For man must deny himselfe goe in the forme of a beggar acknowledge a superiour and his heart naturally being proud he is not easily brought on his knees constreined to stoope to so meane and low a pitch Who is the Lord cryed Pharaoh that I a King should serue him 2. We exercise every facultie of the soule and member of the bodie in this action as the invention iudgement memorie will tongue hand and all The more strings on an Instrument the more difficult to well tune and strike them many pinnes to the lace makes it hard in weaving 3. It s a most holy dutie wherefore the harder What do the Saints in heaven more then praise God And as that life they liue is most excellent so most difficult for by how much it exceeds other actions in holinesse by so much its many earnest words in prayer for the Preacher as they doe in taxing and condemning of him who knoweth how the Lord might poure his spirit on him loose the root of his tongue and make him one of a thousand Wherefore pray for all men but especially for Princes for Preachers He that doth not this is an enemie to the Church no friend to his owne soule And pray thou that the spirit of prophecie may rest vpon him that hee may deliver the word with all boldnesse be freed from the hands of vnreasonable men and so speake and so doe as that he may saue his own soule and them that heare him Of thee Another may be hence collected that Whom we affect we will pray for Doct. 11. Yea the more fervently we loue another the more earnestly and often we shall pray for that person God forbid sayd Samuell that I should cease to pray for you What could 1. Sam. 12. 23. moue him to doe this but affection see this in David in Ionathan in Iesus and in all the faithfull For truth of affection will vse all meanes lawfull to doe Reas 1. that party good who is affected and is not this one if not the chiefe among many Againe the lover and the beloved are as it were but one Reas 2. subiect so that if wee can pray for our selues wee shall for them whom wee affect This shewes that true loue is rare and hard to be found Vse 1. Many boast of it who never had it to vse the wordes of Dalilab how canst thou say thou louest Father or friend brother or sister wife or children and dost not this thing for them He that affirmes he loueth and prayes not for that person shall be found a lyar and no affection is there in him Make triall of the truth of thy loue by this doctrine canst Vse 2. thou pray for him or her thou affectest without ceasing night and day Then thy loue is sound if not but carnall Many a man tels his wife she her husband Preacher people and they the Preacher one another that they loue them but where be their Prayers When call they on God for them I dare peremptorily avouch that all these are lyers It s 〈◊〉 possible for a man to loue his friend
worth the hauing Holines is a thing much to be respected and cannot be had without the spirit And doe thou obserue these directions 1. When thou feelest and findest any secret motion stirred How the spirit may be procured vp in thy heart to holines entertaine it prayse God for it and giue willing obedience therevnto For there is almost no man but at one time or other he shall heare a still voice within him saying This is the way walke in it This must Isa 30. 21 be cherished greatly regarded For if we put this from vs peraduenture when we would with all our hearts feele such whisperings they will be wanting and not easily come by 2. Attend vpon the men of God in the Ministery of his word For it s sayd While Peter spake and the people heard the holy Ghost fell vpon them They that deny the meanes cannot expect this mercy Act. 10. 44. 3. Pray to God the Father that he would send downe his Spirit into thy heart Can they that are evill saith our Sauiour giue to their Children good things how much more shall your heauenly Father giue the holy Ghost to them that aske him Luk. 11. 13. 4. And in Conclusion Speake not evill of thy brother say not he hath a Devill This was the Pharisees fault and Mark 3. 30. in so doing it seemes they sinned vnto death For they told him that he cast out Devills by the Prince of Devills when they thought otherwise so that malice against the truth being accompained with a sound vnderstanding of the truth appeareth to be that irremissible sinne Now the last thing to be collected is this that The Graces of the Spirit are preserved by the Spirit Doct. 7. Paul hauing commanded Timotheus an hard taske giues here a notable direction how he may be able to doe the same and that is through the assistance of the holy Ghost This is also seene Phil. 4. 13. 2 Cor. 13. 13. For Sathan is strong man but weake 2. He is subtill we Reas 1. 2. be simple so that the Spirit of all wisedome and power is he that can enable vs to preserue this worthy thing within vs. And who more fit to doe this then hee that hath wrought this good worke by his owne finger in vs Here we might controule the doctrine of our Aduersaries Vse 1. who ascribe so much power to man after grace receiued or especially that they attribute so much to man in his pure naturalls Hath Timothie neede of the speciall worke and aide of the Spirit to keepe the gifts of grace in him Let them then that will stand vpon their owne strength we dare not Vse 2. And in the next place here we learne instruction to be humble in our owne eyes to deny our owne power and to runne at all times and in all distresses to this refuge of the Spirit for assistance He that doth this doth wisely and but his duty neither the which he is commanded And he that doth not this layeth himselfe open to the fiery shot of Sathan and dangerous methods he vseth buildeth on the sand and the house of his hope the foundation of his faith is certaine to fall But let not vs so learne or teach the Doctrine of Christ Yea rather pray we with the Prophet Lord stablish me with thy free Spirit Plal. 51. 13. VERS 15. This thou knowest that all they which are in Asia be turned from me of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes IN this Verse is contained a complaint Where foure things are to be observed The Logicall resolution I. The persons against whom it is made and they be laid downe 1. Generally and implicitely in the word all c. 2. Particulary and explicitely one is named Phygellus another Hermogenes II. These people are explicated by their place of habitation or birth which was In Asia III. Their fault was that they turned backe IV. From whom that is expressed in the word Mee And the proofe of the trueth of all this is annexed For this thou knowest This thou knowest That is thou Timotheus doest The Theologicall exposition very well know by experience that what I say is truth Thet all they which are in Asia Or which were in Asia for the time is not expressed in the Greeke neither is it much materiall whether he complained of them that followed him to Rome or that remained still in Asia or that dwelt in Rome being borne in Asia But this is most true that they were Asians I will say nothing where this place was or how farre distant from Rome or the scituation and largenes of it but leaue it those that haue skill in Geography and Topography Be turned from me That is haue not visited me refreshed me Me. Paul the Ambassadour of Christ but haue forsaken me and denied their former profession Some read are become aduersaries to me and rise vp against me I thinke that they omitted all these duties of loue and resolution in Religion the which were in Onesiphorus so that I would expound their fault by the future commendation which immediately followeth Of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes Or of which sort country number and its likely these two were of the chiefe of them probably Ministers I doe not thinke it vnprofitable in vaine or all together The Metaphrase without warrant to put thee my sonne in remembrance of the many Backsliders who were in Asia forsaking of me and revolting from their former profession of the Gospell of which number Phygellus and Hermogenes were men not of the meanest rancke and note amongst them although it be very well knowne vnto thee by experience already For this thou knowest Hence it may be collected that It is warrantable and profitable to put the people in minde of others Doct. 1. backesliding and falling away For if it were not then Paul would not haue done it we may be assured This may also be seene in Act. 20. 29. c. 1 Tim. 4. 1. 1 Cor. 10. 13. c. 2 Tim. 4. 10. For by this meanes they may learne to beware of such Reas 1. And is it not good to be acquainted with our enemies for he that is forewarned is forearmed It will cause the people to make the more of them that Reas 2. Ioh. 6. 67. be faithfull Will ye also goe away and is not this an helpe to discerne betwixt the good and evill It will make the best to looke better to their footing least Reas 3. they themselues also fall away For good Christians are iealous of their owne estate and will draw spirituall instruction out of euery thing When one falls before vs we shall looke the more circumspectly to our footing Finally they will be the lesse discouraged or disheartened Reas 4. when they heare that some haue fallen For were there not some such examples it would goe worse with the best for hereby they see it 's no new thing to
Christ is supreme head of the Church vniversall Bishop and that the Lords annointed is aboue any Prelate what-ever assure him that all profane Popes shall perish their Chaplaines the Iesuites Priests and all the orders of their disordered Monkes and Fryers shall fall will them all to get knowledge of the truth to denie their owne workes put their confidence in Gods mercie through Christ or they must perish every mothers sonne Admonish the poore pur blind seduced multitude that they receiue not the beasts marke neither in hand nor forehead but renounce their erroneous doctrine else they shall dye the second death Conscience exhort the Iew to beleeue in Christ certifie them the Messiâ—h is come and that they watch for him in vaine if they denie this aske them where the tribe of Iuda is and Davids familie When Daniels sevens shall be accomplished what 's become of Ierusalem and the second Temple wherein Christ was to be seene Bid them tell thee what nation is without a King a Prince a sacrifice an image Hos 3. 4. an Ephod a Teraphim and dispersed through the earth besides themselues and if they doe not as indeed they cannot informe thee of these things assure them their estate is fearefull and their end shall be destruction And Conscience terrifie all wicked persons of what nation tongue or profession soever tell the swearer that the flying Booke full of curses within and without shall ceaze vpon him the Sabbath breaker that there is no rest prepared for him in the world to come the rebels who will not haue God and the King to raigâ—e over them that they must be bond-slaues to the Prince of the infernall pit that the Adulterers and Whore-mongers thou and the Lord will iudge to death the Murtherers quarrellers and stabbers how that the sting of a bad Conscience shall slay them at the last day the thiefe robber and pilferer that such may not inherit heaven The Rimers Iesters scoffers flatterers Players and lyars shall haue their portion in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for ever the drunkard glutton and Epicure that they shall be drunke surfeit spew vp their draughts morsels and carowses to their eternall torment In a word gall and gaster strike and wound terrifie and hunt to destruction all that striue not to learne the Word of God and keepe it with faith and a good conscience But Conscience if in this thy Pilgrimage thou meet with as thou shalt with many an honest person poore or rich salute him friendly and bid him good-speed be his comforter in life in death and in the evill day when thou entrest into an hall house or cottage if they be worthie leaue a blessing behind thee if not shake off the dust from thy feete and be gone Conscience blesse them that blesse thee and curse them that curse thee and so wishing thou maist returne to him that sent thee for the present I dismisse thee That without ceasing I haue remembrance of thee in my Prayers night and day We haue stayd long vpon the precedent doctrine but not without reason because a good Conscience is little knowne lesse regarded In this clause wee haue many things observable the which admits a double reading but first we will begin with the principall point that offers it selfe vnto vs which is that Faithfull men are frequent in Prayer Doct. 9. For Paul saith in my Prayers without ceasing night and day What should I tell you of Abraham of David of Iacob of Hannah and others Each page of the holy Papers confirmes the point How often shall you finde them in Gods Register honored with that title commended for Praying and the wicked branded with the contrary marke the direct opposite thing Read the Psalmes Luk. 2. 37. Acts. 9. 14. 10. 30. 1 Cor. 1. 2. Ier. 10. vlt. They haue the spirit of God and where he dwels there Reas 1. is libertie This fire will if once builded on the heart kindle and smoake and flame and ascend continually Rom. 8. 26. And haue they not a promise to be heard Aske and yee Reas 2. shall haue Hope to prevaile sets the tongue on worke where feare of speeding makes faint speaking Mat. 7. 7. Doe they not also apprehend their misery Are they not Reas 3. sensible of the want and worth of spirituall things And is not Prayer a present helpe to remoue evill and purchase what is best Rom. 7. 23. Psal 50. 15. Iam. 1. 5. Besides Is not God their Father Shall not children take Reas 4. delight to talke with him And what is Prayer but a kinde of conference with him a mutuall questioning and answering This being true whose children then be such or what Vse 1. faith haue they who never pray never call vpon GOD night nor day Continue they cannot for yet they haue made no entrance no beginning It s a wonder to see how many wee haue tong-tyed when they should talke with God and notwithstanding haue words at will to discourse with men Canst thou not or didst thou never pray Then thou art none of Gods sonnes but of Sathan thy Father for all the faithfull haue their tongues loosed and their hearts enlarged that they both can doe and will pray The Sunne shall sooner stand still and the earth moue round yea ascend vpward than a good Christian shall neglect altogether this dutie and not call vpon his heavenly Father Wouldest thou then be accounted faithfull registred amongst Vse 2. the sonnes of the most high Thou must learne to pray and when thou hast done so exercise thy selfe in that dutie and seeing it is so needfull so honorable so profitable an action for the better performance of it we will first shew what it is and the kindes of it Secondly giue some directions how to pray aright Thirdly declare why it is so difficult a dutie to discharge and finally bring in some motiues as inducements therevnto For the first Prayer is a calling vpon God in the name of Christ Iesus being Prayer described inabled by the spirit for all things necessary In this Description are fiue particulars to be considered of all which we will speake and proue in order Prayer is a calling In Scripture it is sometimes said to be I. Math. 7. 7. Mark 11. 24. Psal 25. 1. 1 Sam. 1. 15. a request an intreatie a lifting vp of the soule a powring out of the spirit and the like but most commonly both in the Old and new Testament it s noted by this name Calling When Abraham prayed it s said he called vpon God Gen. 12. 8. 21. 33. We may see the like of David both commanded and practised Psal 50. 5. 4. 1. Of Iob Iob. 9. 16. Paul is said to persecute them that call vpon God Act. 9. 14. And he writ to such as called vpon his name 1 Cor. 1. 2. By all which and many moe places its plaine that Prayer is a
corruption beate downe the old man and the new will grow strong and ouer-master him 4. Striue to encrease thy faith For as that groweth thy strength will come The more naturall spirit the more corporall power so the more spirituall strength and ability by faiths increase For as naturall actions are said to proceed from the one so may all spirituall seeme to flow from the other No spirit no motion no faith no power 5. Censure not the weake doe not count him as nothing lest the Lord strengthen him and weaken thee And what 1 Cor. 4. 7. hast thou which another hath not that thou hast not received This is a foule evill in our dayes and haue not such beene met withall yea God often letteth such blood who are so ranke censurers of their weake brethren 6. Vse that power well that God hath imparted vnto thee for by vse it will growe and to such more shall be given God will not giue addition augmentation of strength when as he seeth the abuse of that we haue 7. Adde to all these often and earnest prayer crying with the Prophet firmely sustaine me O Lord with a free or as some reade a Princely spirit Psal 51. 13. For Prayer like the still dew the tender Plants will cause a growth of spirituall strength And of loue Loue being here related indefinitely without its obiect will giue vs full scope to treate of it at large First then it shall be noted that The children of God haue the spirit of loue Doct. 6. This grace by the holy Ghost is shed abroad in the hearts of all good Christians whether publique or private persons not one who is borne againe wants it Rom. 5. 5. 1 Io. 4. 8. For what we had by Creation we haue in part by Regeneration Reas 1. Shall not the second Adam Christ recover for vs by Redemption what we were spoiled of by the first Adams transgression The Apostasie and Anastasie fall and rising againe are equall in this though not in the latitude of their obiect for the fall was of all the restauration is but of some Io. 17. 9. c. Againe Christians are members of Christ and from that Reas 2. vnion haue of his fulnesse received grace for grace Had Adam stood all his seed had participated of what goodnesse was in him shall not those that be regrafted into Christ doe the same in truth though not in measure If it were not thus why should they be said to be partakers of the divine nature Io. 1. 16. 2 Pet. 1. 4. And haue the children of God loue Wouldest thou then Vses be one of them First Learne what loue is and secondly Striue for it Loue is an Act of the Will embracing with delight whatsoever Loue defined is first approoved by the vnderstanding In this Description are six particulars whereof we will speake in order First I say its an Act. For 1. all Divinitie is practicall and consists not in a bare and naked speculation And 2. if loue were a passion as some will and not an action then the promise should belong to the suffering Patient not the working Agent the which were absurd for its a more blessed thing to loue than to be loved because the louer hath a promise for his action but the beloued person none for his passion Secondly And it is an act of the Will not of the tongue or hand for 1. Divinitie is the rule of the Will immediately though of the whole man mediately 2. Againe if loue were not an act arising from the will but from an affection seated in the heart as the most hold then should loue cease in the Saints at their deathes and the Angels never haue it the which may not be admitted Thirdly In the third place we affirme that this act embraceth the obiect beloved For 1. The nature of loue is to vnite it selfe to the thing loued as the hand taketh hold of what the eye beholdeth And 2. should not the Will after its extension be conioyned to the obiect affected it would never be at rest and setled 3. Hatred reiecteth therefore loue embraceth Fourthly It embraceth with delight for 1. As every flower hath its smell so every action in Divinitie is accompanied with delight and comfort none excepted 2. Besides the Will doth imbrace what 's offered to it as good and the fruition of a good thing must needes breed delight else nothing can Fiftly Whatsoever Here note the latitude of the obiect of loue for it may be either truth or errour good or euill person or thing by accident and the reason is 1. In that the vnderstanding may present to the will an apparant truth for the truth it selfe As the silly fish catcheth the counterfeit flie for the naturall through misapprehension And 2. the will may be so much corrupted though it be not deceiued that it may with delight embrace the thing that is euill as we may see in wicked men and deuills Sixtly Whatsoeuer is first approued by the vnderstanding In this sentence we see the order of the wills act for the vnderstanding precedes it in acting as the eye the foote The reason is 1. because of an vnknowne thing there can be no loue or desire and 2. as whatsoeuer is in the inward sence was first in the outward so whatsoeuer thing is in the will was formerly in the vnderstanding It is with the inner man as with the outward The eye may be compared to the vnderstanding the feete likened to the affections and the hand to the will the eye beholds the obiect the feete carrie vnto it and then the hand takes it by acting so the vnderstanding iudgeth then loue coveteth and the Will as the hand worketh for it if it be not possessed if it be then it indeuours to retaine it still Now from this that hath beene sayd many things may be deduced 1. That They that know not God cannot loue him Ignorant Corrolaries from the definition persons haue not the loue of God For from the vnderstanding proceeds sound affection and there is no desire of what we know not 2. That Errour in the vnderstanding deceiveth the affection for loue takes things as they are presented and iudged if the one be deceived the other is also This is manifest 3. Besides I conclude hence that The affection is more worthy than the vnderstanding and the Will than both For that which is for another is of lesse dignitie than the thing for which it is The Sabbath was for man the Woman for man therefore Man is more worthy than either 4. Moreouer this followeth also that The affections doe immediately attend the vnderstanding as we receiue obiects and are in the first act Patients so then they importune the Will like an earnest suiter to worke for what they affect for the Will commands them actiuely When God workes to man he beginnes at the outward and inward sences and ends his worke at the
and her setting on our affections as the Bee her sting but lose our labour and as Paul of the Corinthians are lesse beloued the which makes vs to cry my sighes are many and my heart is heauie But loue God and thou shalt be beloued for in this loue is no losse 4. He onely can giue vs content For as the foote is neuer stable till it be pitcht on firme Land so our affections are euer wauering vntill they be fixt on God who is the first Being the sustainer of the soule 5. Call to mind how he hath loued vs Shall he choose vs from eternity and we reiect him in time Nay rather let his loue to vs worke in vs a reciprocall loue of him and so it will in all his chosen let me but giue warmth to my clothes and shall I not receiue heat by way of reflexion 6. He is alwaies with vs in vs and neither will nor can be absent from vs What a griefe it is experience tels not to bee present with the thing beloued This diuision like Reubens causeth many thoughts of heart For personall presence when friends affect aboue all things is desired and here onely and no where else it is to be obtained Ne thinkes these thinges should like the Load stone yron draw and knit our hearts vnto the Lord were they well weighed But if all this will not let vs further consider this that if he be not the obiect of our affection we shall be the subiects of his eternall wrath and indignation This may suffice to haue beene spoken of loue as it looketh towards God now we will handle it as it hath relation to man where we obserue that The Children of God loue one another Doct. 8. Mat. 22. 39. Rom. 13 8. Psal 16. 3. 10. 15. 10. Reasons This point is but short in speech but long in practise we must owe nothing to any man but that we loue one another Loue is a debt alwaies to be payd yet euer to be owing 1. For are they not sonnes of one father 2. Members of one body 3. Temples of one spirit 4. And heires of one and the same kingdome 5. Doth not the image of God shine in them 6. And are they not beloued of him And shall the creator loue that which the creature will not What then shall we iudge of some among vs that scoffe Vse 1. deride persecute and thinke they doe God good service in putting of his Children to death are these the sonnes of the most high or rather be they not bastards haue such the spirit of loue who hate the holy despise the most sincere religious verily they are as yet strangers and aliants from the houshold of faith and common-wealth of Israel Learne how we are to loue one another that wee deceiue Vse 2. not our selues in this dutie thinking we loue when we doe nothing lesse 1. Rule is As thy selfe Mat. 19. 19. The rule whereby we loue our selues must be the same in louing one another and this may appeare either affirmatiuely in what we will doe for our selues or negatiuely in what we will not doe to our selues for the first affirmatiuely 1. A man will cloth himselfe 2. Feede himselfe 3. Lodge himselfe 4. Prayse God and pray to God for himselfe 5. grow in and gather grace for himselfe 6. And for heauen he will daily prepare and fit himselfe For the second Negatiuely 1. A good man will not quarrell with or kill himselfe 2. He will not steale from and rob himselfe 3. Nor lye and beare false witnesse against himselfe 4. Hee will not vrge and carowse to make drunke himselfe 5. He will not slander and discredit himselfe 6. And lastly he will not goe to law and sute with himselfe But may not one Christian goe to law with another Quest Resol Yes but if it may be hee must preuent it 1. And that by dealing with his aduersarie hand to hand prouing if he may prevaile 2. Then if not tell the case to two or three to see if they can ende the controuersie 3. But if these two waies faile then he must tell the elders of the Church the which as some will are the Presbyterie others all the setled congregation and if they cannot make peace then may a Christian goe to law else it seemes not for Paul checkes the Corinthians 1 Cor. 6. for going to law one brother with another But hauing vsed all the former meanes account him thy aduersarie a Publican and no brother if thou canst not winne him appease him The second Rule whereby we are to loue one another is As Christ hath loued vs. Ioh. 13. 34. 1. For order Christ loued vs before we loued him for we loue him because he loued vs first so should wee loue our brother before we be beloued of him 2. In the end he loues vs to doe vs good not that hee receiues good from vs. As Iob of righteousnesse so we say of loue Our loue may profit the sonne of man but if we loue the Lord what receiueth he at our hands Iob. 35. 7. 3. It must be in sinceritie that is not in hypocrisie or dissimulation our loue must be pure not mixed not in word but indeed and truth 4. And we must haue regard to the degree of loue Paul tels vs of the height bredth depth and length of his loue and this will thus better appeare in these things 1. He being God became man that by this his pouerty wee might bee made rich What a degree of humilitie was this 2. He died for vs and herein is the loue of Christ made manifest For greater loue than this can no man shew to lay downe his life for his friends Nay for vs who were his enemies 3. Christ loued vs without measure for who can limit his loue and say hither came it and no further this is a great bredth 4. And he loueth vs for euer in persecution of wicked men temptation of Sathan nor yet the infinite wrath of his father could either stay or interrupt it here 's the length of it without end it is from eternitie to eternitie hath hee loued vs and the quantitie of it is vnmeasurable Should we trie the loue of our dayes by the first rule wee shall finde but little if by the second much lesse for who clotheth his neighbours may not many a member complaine with the head they haue parted my rayment and on my garment haue they cast lots We haue few Iobes or Dorcasses that make coates to cloth the poore Shew me the man that if his neighbour be hungry will giue him meate if he thirst will make him to drinke so our backes be clothed and our bellies filled we forget the afflictions of Ioseph How farre might we trauaile to finde out a Centurion who hath built the poore a Synagogue a Paul who will make mention of his friend Timothie in his prayers night and day Where is he and what is his name
be drawne Reas 2. from Christ the Lord. 1. Hath hee not bought them and will he now not demaund his due Yes thine they were saith he to his father but they are mine Io. 17. 6. 2. Hath he not prayed for them Io. 17. 24. and doth not the father heare him alwayes Io. 11. 42. 3. He also maketh daily intercession for them 1 Io. 2. 2. And shall hee not prevaile and 4. Christ hath glory by them For if one member were lost the body would be imperfect Ioh. 17. 10. Also from the Spirit we gather reasons 1. If he should not Reas 3. perfect the worke of gracein them the word that came from him would be against him Phil. 1. 6. Againe in the 2. place his power and mercy would not equally appeare to the elect in Regeneration as the power and mercy of the father and the sonne in the Creation and Redemption if any of them were not perfectly sanctified 3. Then Christ should proue a lyer for he hath promised to send his spirit that shall lead them into euery truth and againe the Spirit should not obey the sonne which were the deepest blasphemy to conceiue Io. 16. 13. 4. They are the Temple of the Holy Ghost and shall hee suffer that to be destroyed or the vncleane spirit to thrust him out of his possession 1 Cor. 6. 19. So that on the Fathers part the Sonnes part and the Holy Ghosts part they cannot perish And we may draw reasons from the faithfull themselues Reas 4. For 1. They cannot be deceiued Math. 24. 24. 2. They neuer sinne with a full consent the new man the part regenerate cannot sinne Rom. 9. vlt. 1 Io. 3. 9. And then shall he perish for the old mans transgressions This were to verifie Note the old Prouerbe The fathers haue eatâ—â— sower grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge 3. They will alwayes vse the meanes that will bring them to heauen Col. 3. 2. and shall not hee that walketh in the way come to the end of his iourney Ier. 6. 16. 4. They are vnited to Christ by faith loue and the Spirit and who can burst these bands asunder And we may also collect arguments from the similitudes Reas 5. in Scripture for this purpose 1. Christ is compared to a vine the faithfull to his branches 2. To a spring they to living waters that flow therefrom 3. To an head they to his real members 4. To a foundation and they to the rest of the building And who shall stop the course of this riuer Iohn 4. 14. Rent this tree vp by the rootes Io. 15. Bruise this head Io. 1. 18. Or remoue this foundation for it s said that the Gates of hell shall not prevaile against it Math. 16. 18. This is not like Abrahams well that was stopped Ionah's guord that withered the Serpents head that was bruised or the Temple of Ierusalem that was ouerturned Finally if they should not be saued what great absurdities Reas 6. would follow for 1. Grace should be ouercome of corruption the yonger serue the elder 2. The body mysticall of Christ be maimed yea in part condemned 3. We should ascribe lesse to grace and the Spirit then to Sathan and corruption both for power and priviledge and 4. Christ should be subiect to dy in vaine in 〈◊〉 or wholly for by that rule and meanes that one may fall away two may yea all the faithfull and then Christ should 〈◊〉 to loose his purpose and to he gratis for no end And by this Doctrin in hand are our Aduersaries confuted Vse 1. who maintaine that the faithfull may fall and finally parish They instance in Salomon But he fell not totally and for euer Reasons why Salomon was saued For 1. He writ a booke of his repentance 2. He had a special promise that the Lord would neuer forsake him 3. Peter stiles all holy men who penned the Scriptures of which number he was one 4. He is in the naturall I say not legall Genealogie of Christ and no doubt but Christ would giue him that honour as to saue him 5. Hee might not commit idolatry but permit his Concubines so his sin was the lesser for as he was said to build the Temple by others so might he be reputed an idolater in bearing with others 6. He was a speciall type of Christ and all this being thus who dares conclude that hee was condemned We may boldly avouch the contrary But the Papists haue reason to hold that Salomon perished Why the Papists hold he perished 1. In so doing he being a King then Kings will the sooner submit themselues vnto the Pope and seeke for a pardon 2. If as a Prophet he perished and a penman of the Scripture 1. Oh! this maketh notably for their purpose for then this 2. will follow that the Pope may be free from the spirit of error yet dle a damned person as many by their owne confession haue done 3. If as a good and private man then 3. certainty of Salvation cannot be obtained as they seeke to defend and 4. Hold this position they must or else pardons 4. and Purgatory wil be of no praise or prize but vtterly perish But you will demand why should so excellent a man fall Quest so fearefully 1. The Lord might permit him to humble him as Paul Sol. must haue a pricke to buffet him least he should bee exalted with the abundance of Reuelations and was not Salomon hauing so rare parts incident to the same and if that was a remedy for Paul why not this vnto Salomon 2. Againe if this King had liued without spott he being so wonderfully qualified and hauing so great a kingdome that none was euer like him the people peraduenture would haue taken him for the true Messiah For how many still looked for Christ at that day and after Christ was come dreamed of an earthly kingdome Many more arguments they produce but we haue answered them elsewhere therefore here omit them And this doctrine is of great comfort to all the faithfull Vse 2. for come what can they shall neuer perish Nothing shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God in Christ Iesus We should more reioyce in this then wicked men in their wine and oile and large possessions Iobs heart was glad in the remembrance and assurance that his Redeemer liued that he should see him with his eyes David reioyced that his flesh should see no corruption and the Apostle that hee should be saued Shall a King be glad that none can take away his crowne a nobleman the Ensigne of his honour the Iudge his scarlet robe the Bishop his Rochet the Captaine his Auncient the Pyrate his flag and the poore man his farme shall the certaine possession of these things breed so much mirth and shall the assurance of a kingdome not expell sorrow and mourning Art thou poore in a farre Country despised
of the world or with the Iew in Babilon haue thy parents reiected thee thy friends cast thee off and all thy familiars waite for thy halting Yet grace shall neuer leaue thee or the Lord forsake thee but preserue thee to eternall glory Let Rachel die in trauell Abel be slaine of his brother Iames be beheaded Christ crucified and Eli breake his necke yet they shall be saued And if thou be faithfull God shall deliuer thee from every evill worke and preserue thee to his heauenly kingdome Then be of good comfort for if earthly priviledges breed such ioy what should these heauenly doe Why where bee our hearts and what doe we thinke vpon And this should teach vs thankfulnes to God who hath Vse 3. now made our spirituall estate more certaine in Christ our surety then it was at the first in Adam our father The Pope gets large summes for long pardons the Landlord great fines for a lease for many yeares But we haue a pardon and lease that are of force for euer and euer ours be signed sealed and deliuered by the finger of the Spirit through the bloud of Christ Iesus and with the full and free consent and presence of God the father Then say with the Apostle vpon the same ground To whom be praise for euer and euer Amen And is our salvation certaine How then should wee be Vse 4. pricked forward to goe on in the constant and cheerefull vse of all meanes that may effect it for doth not expectation and assurance of the end set all a worke who would plow if he had no hope of a haruest crosse the dangerous seas if he were out of all heart for his returne in safety or take Physicke should hee not thereby expect recouery of some present sicknes or the remouall of some future disease feared And had we no hope then we might be out of heart But seeing not one of our haires shall perish as Paul said Acts 27. concerning corporall safetie let vs eate and drinke with gladnes be of good courage and vse all helpes prescribed for as the wicked haue no minde to vse the meanes because they haue no hope to inherite heauen so wee by the contrary ground should be stirred and enliued to cast off sinne grow in grace suffer affliction and if need be to resist vnto blood in as much that we be assured and know that our labour is not in vaine in the Lord. And with what willingnes will man and beast bauke and hunt being in hope to finde and catch the prey shall we then hauing such a prize in our hands haue no hearts surely it should not nor it must not be so Saved Hence let it be noted that The Salvation of man is a rare and great blessing Doct. 6. No doubt but Paul doth mention it as a speciall fauour from the Lord. And seeing in these words he seemeth to vse a Reason to moue Timotheus to be resolute in al good duties if he had knowne a better or more forcible argument hee would haue produced it for his purpose See Gen. 49. 18. Which place the two Caldee Paraphrasts expound not of Gedeon or Sampsons deliuery that were temporall and transitory but the salvation by Christ which is eternall and permanent 1 Pet. 4. 18. Io. 4. 5. Phil. 2. 12. Isai 45. 17. and this will further appeare by many reasons Let vs consider it in the causes 1. We were not redeemed Reas 1. with gold and siluer but with the precious bloud of Christ as of a Lambe vndefiled 1 Pet. 1. 18. 19. 2. Doth not the word the good word of God and the Spirit effect and apply it and was not the best message that euer Angels brought Saluation to mankind And are not all times meanes and things subordinate to Reas 2. the same this is the end of all ends Gods glory being excepted and yet his glory is procured by the same The more generall a thing is the better it is for begetting conceiuing bearing baptizing calling and iustifying yea Sanctification preceede it And is it not then the best thing And is it not directly opposed to damnation the worst Reas 3. thing that can be named the wicked shall be in hell amongst the damned Divells and suffer the vengeance of eternall fire on the contrary the Godly shall inherite heauen enioy the communion of the blessed Angells for ever and ever Finally consider what it is to be saued 1. Shall not the Reas 4. image of God in such be perfectly renewed Psal 17. vlt 2. Their ioy shall it not be full Psal 16. vlt Their habitation of pure gold and the fruition of all eternall and now lay all these together and will not the point be a trueth that mans chiefest blessednes consisteth in his saluation Come we to the vse Where we reprehend many that esteeme it a matter of no Vse 1. moment or estimation Is it a thing of weight to preserue a yong plant from withering a beast from drowning the body from dying and nothing of importance to saue the whole man from damning The ignorant man as hee vnderstands not the worth of it so hee neuer seeketh after it The Couetous cryeth its good to bee here gaine is great godlines The Epicure hee goeth in purple and fine linnen euery day fareth delicately drinketh wine in bowles spendeth his time in pleasure and altogether forgetteth his latter end The voluptuous man maketh merry saying The next day shall be as this we will haue our fill of loue and neuer once mindeth his salvation As for the drunkard biting vsurer and the swearer they long agone haue made a league with hell and a couenant with death boasting Tush God will doe neither good nor euil Zeph. 1. 12. and is there wisedome in the most high This poynt may iustifie the courses of such as take paines Vse 2. to worke out their saluation and to make their calling and election sure Goe yee on and the good Lord shall be with you Let it neuer be said of any of you ye began well but who did let you It s a fearefull thing to begin in the spirit and to end in the flesh This might move Parents to make their children the Vse 3. subiects of salvation for would you not haue them to bee heires of great things Say then with Abraham Oh that Ismael might live with Noah God perswade Iapheth to dwel in the tents of Sheâ— All call with David Come hearken vnto me ye little children and I will teach you the feare of the Lord. For those be the best parents that can vse the meanes to bring their sonnes and daughters to be coheires with Christ of the kingdome of God and to participate of endlesse salvation Whereas our Lord said Weepe for your selues and for your children So say I Get salvation for your selues and for your children And from this ground wee are all to be intreated and instructed Vse 4. to
of God in his greatest danger when he had almost slipâ— and beene turned out of the way to triumph that the Lord would guide him by his counsell and afterward receiue him to glory and in a good heart it will worke the like effect Psal 73. 25. And in the last place this might stirre vs vp to vse all Vse 4. good meanes that we might once entertaine and euer retaine so worthy a guest How will we inuite and entreat to haue our good friend but a day nay one meale to be with vs then shall we not vse all the skill we can to possesse the Spirit of God who will abide with vs and comfort vs at all Quest times in all conditions Thou wilt say Sir by what way may I come to this thing Why thou must get a new heart Ans for he will neuer lodge in the old for that 's naught And this heart must haue these properties 1. It must be broken and that by the Law and the Gospel Properties of a new heart Luk. 18. 13. The Law breakes the heart 2. Wayes 1. In reuealing vnto man the number and greatnes of his sinnes so great an enditement will pierce deepely 2. By declaring what fearefull Act. 2. 37 16. 27. c. iudgements we be subiect vnto For these two will humble a man to the dust He that seeth his former perfection what it was and present misery what it is cannot but be a man of sorrow and the law revealeth both But a Iudas may goe thus farre therefore the Gospell must haue its stroke in this busines and that thus when the Law like an hammer hath dashed in pieces our hard hearts then the promises must come to make them melt and relent within vs and that by a double act the one is in the consideration how our sinnes caused the onely sonne of God to become accursed for a good Nature hauing but a generall illumination cannot but be wounded at this consideration But yet we must passe another step ahd that is when the remembrance of Gods mercy in giuing vs his sonne to dye for vs and in assuring our hearts that all our sinnes are freely pardoned the many heavy iudgements that we were lyable to are for euer remoued and our saluation sealed to our soules I say when the remembrance hereof hath its strong operation and makes our hearts to melt in our bodies The Law like the mallet breaketh the flinty heart but the precious promises of the Gospell like a kind shower the earth bringeth it to a good temper For as the field that becomes fruitfull must haue the first and second raine after that it s plowed and rent asunder by the harrow so must a new heart haue this twofold worke by the Law and gracious promises contained in the Gospell We must not onely mourne that our sinnes be many and the iudgments we be lyable to heauie but also euen our bowells must yearne within vs that Christ was crucified for vs being an innocent person and the Lords fauour worke mightily with vs who hath declared vnto vs in particular such a depth of mercy 2. The new heart must be a pure and purging heart For Math 5. 8. blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God And this pure heart is procured by two meanes 1. By getting of faith for faith will purge like barme in beere and purifie the heart it will cause that no corruption shall lodge or abide neere it 2. A pure heart is obtained by this consideration that no vncleane heart shall inherit the kingdome of God For euery thing naturally seekes it owne preseruation and this once vnderstood it will haue its operation This new heart must be like a liuing spring 3. A new heart must be a smiting heart and that for the least sinne that 's done in secret knowne only to God and our selues aswell as for great offences committed in publike 2 Sam 24. 10. and in the view of many Dauid had a new heart and his had both these qualities and it must smite 1. For sinnes of commission 2. Of omission 4. A new heart must be an vpright heart and that is in regard of time or person for time alwaies endeavouring to be righteous for person 1. Before God And 2. With all Acts 24. 16. men And herein I doe endeauour my selfe alwayes to haue a good conscience before God and before men So that we see that new hearts must be 1. Broken hearts 2. Purging hearts 3. Smiting hearts 4. Vpright hearts and in such an heart dwelleth the Spirit of God Wherefore strive thou for such a one and be thou assured that the Spirit of God will come into thy heart and dwell with thee for euer and euer But if thine heart be not thus qualified be not deceiued the Holy Ghost shall neuer take one nightes abode in the mansion of thy soule and on the contrary thy heart will be but a Denne for that foule and vncleane spirit the Deuill who if he possesse thy heart will draw thee on into that fiery Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for all eternity I might here note another Doctrine which is that The Spirit of God is an holy Spirit Doct. 6. He is in many places so stiled in Scripture 2 Cor. 13. 13. Eph. 4. 30. c. And he may be so called for these Reasons First in that he proceedeth from the father and the Son Reas 1. the fountaine of all holines Againe he is coequall coessentiall coeternall with the 2. Father and the Son Therefore God holy yea holines it selfe And he worketh the beginning progresse and perfection 3. of all holines in the Creature And as he is opposed to Sathan that vncleane spirit he is sayd to be holy Finally he alwayes disswadeth from vncleannes and perswadeth 4. to holines as we may see in the holy Scriptures which by the holy men of God were penned as they were carried by the holy Ghost Take we heed therefore how we resist or quench the Vse 1. motions of this Spirit For this is a fearefull sinne and to be avoyded We read of some that haue grieued and despighted the holy Ghost but the end of such was neare vnto cursing and burning And this may be done in our selues and others What a lamentable thing is it when gracious words proceede from mens mouthes to heare one say O Sir I perceiue you are a Puritane and one full of the Spirit Doest thou this of ignorance Why then thou art blame-worthy to speake euill of what thou knowest not if of knowledge the greater is thy offence and seemeth to be a step vnto that sinne vnto death Therefore in the name of God despite not the Spirit of grace in thy selfe or thy brother And seeing this Spirit is holy Let those that enioy him Vse 2. be carefull to keepe him and them that want him to striue for him for he is
which is that When we haue done all we can to confesse our selues vnprofitable seruants Let vs neuer dispute with our Maker plead perfection or by our selues iustifie our selues or expect the least reward Surely he that is well acquainted with his owne inward corruption and actuall transgressions will neuer boast of his owne worthines And no one point which the Papist doth defend hath caused me to doubt more of their finall good estate then this For if they were borne againe of the water and spirit they by their owne frailty would haue learned experience to haue beene farre from the least thought of merit Wherefore in thy best condition say Lord thy mercy is my merit thy free fauour my felicity Where Paul in the twelfth verse and now againe in this maketh mention of the last day we note that A good mans minde is often carried to thinke on the day of Doct. 5. iudgement Iob. 19. 25. Psal 17. vlt. 2 Cor. 5. 2. Phil. 3. vlt. For when they cast their eye on the poore creatures the Reas 1. which groane for our sinnes and shall not be freed vntill that time how should a good man who is mercifull to his beast but remember that day wherein they shall be deliuered into the liberty of Gods sonnes Gods children haue many false tales father'd on them and Reason 2. with strange aspersions are they besprinkled the which as vpon Eagles wings fly through towne and tauerne country and citie Gath and Ascalon vnder the great broad seale of good fellowship neuer to be reuerst or contrould vntill the Ancient of daies the searcher of all hearts that impartiall iudge haue the hearing of the case which must be at that day The faithfull feele and find in themselues many great infirmities Reason 3. of soule and body the which shall neuer be perfectly cured till Christ shall appeare So that the very losse of a tooth or of the least member will carry a good mans minde to that day wherein he beleeueth to be made perfect And he is so affected with his Sauiour he hath such a secret Reason 4. loue to all the Saints of God the which he neuer saw and a desire to behold the great possession his Father hath prepared for him the which he shall not fully behold and in soule and body absolutely pertake of and ioyntly enioy vntill Iesus come to iudge the world that his minde is often carried thither And is it not the great day of reaping the yeere of Iubilee and the marriage of the Lambe and his beloued Shall not the Diuell and all his soule spirits that haue persecuted the Saints of God be rewarded according as they haue rewarded vs and all the faithfull take possession of that glorious and immortall kingdom where they shal all with one tongue and heart with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious sing glory to God praise to the Lambe without the least inward opposition or interruption the which is their chiefe desire that heere on earth they ayme at that wherein their greatest blessednesse consisteth for euermore So that wonder not then if the faithfull haue their mindes often carryed to thinke on the day of iudgement And if this bee thus as it is indeede What shall wee Vse 1. thinke of such who neuer minde this day verily they are much affected with earthly pleasures and profits and haue little regard of the greatest good Many men in the Inne of this world are like the swaggerers and prodigals in a Tauerne who call freely eate and drinke laugh and are fat but neuer minde either the reckoning or the time of haruest for they haue sowne no good seed neither haue wherewith to discharge the shot therefore suffer these things willingly to slip and absent themselues out from their mindes because they haue or can expect no commodity by either But the faithfull man is of a contrary mind for he is sparing in expence and hath scattered much good graine the which will bring a goodly crop at his Masters appearing the great day of reaping both of which cause him often to looke vpward And by this Doctrine wee may proue whether wee bee Vse 2. like minded or not to the most faithfull person Doest thou againe and againe thinke on this day Is thy minde often carried to this obiect So arest thou on high with the wings of faith and a sound eye to this hill why then thou art a right bird truely bred and not of the bastard brood Euery crosse base imputation false report ach in the ioynts corruption in the flesh and spirit each good action faithfull prayer motion of true affection towardes Christ and his members heauen and holinesse will carry the mind of him or her that's truely religious vpright hearted to this Mountaine Marriage day and time of refreshing So that findest thou this in thy selfe then be of good cōfort for thou art of the Brides company and one that shall see the euerlasting light sit downe and reape ioy and gladnes life and glory in the largest fields of Gods goodnesse the heauenly Canaan the new Ierusalem which is aboue But if thou art destitute of these kinde of motions eleuations then striue for these properties that are the inseparable breathings and mouings of an holy heart sound minde and blessed person The very frame of nature stretcheth forth her necke and peepeth vpward to this season And shall the Eagles of the Churches owne breeding neuer flutter with their wings and cast vp their piercing eyes to this rich prey but stand a pruning that were a thing incredible Therefore haue this in thy selfe and bee blessed for euer We may further collect where Paul prayeth for mercy against that day that All our prayers are to be grounded on Gods promises Gen. 23. Doct. 6. 9. 12. 2 Sam. 7. 25. 1 King 8. 25 c. For our Apostle knew full well that such a time would come and that the Lord would reward euery good worke at that season by vertue of his former promises Because that they are all Yea and Amen in Christ Iesus Reas 1. not one but shall be performed sooner or latter Againe otherwise wee can haue no hope to bee heard Reas 2. For no faculty can or ought to extend it selfe beyond its adequate and proper obiect it is limited by its peculiar Rules The eye of the vnderstanding and foote or hand of faith may leade vs to God the first Ens and cause of all things but beyond that they cannot passe for there is nothing further to act or rest on Hee therefore that prayeth without a promise denyeth his owne request What madnes then is it for the Papist to pray to Saint Vse 1. and Angell Can they make promises in Christ or haue we any such ground giuen vs of God Vaine wishes are reprehended hence as when men pray for impossibilities and this doth meete with those that vse vnlawfull imprecations and also the blind devotion of
prayer 101 Prayer is a difficult duty 101 Motiues to prayer 102 10. Preachers in speciall to be prayed for 103 11. Whom we affect we will pray for 104 12. As in the day so the faithfull pray in the night season 105 13. The time of trouble is a time of prayer 106 14. Though preaching may yet prayer cannot be preuented 106 Vers 4. Doctrines page 1. Personall presence to be preferred before writing 109 2. One faithfull man couets the fellowship of another 111 3. The best men haue a propension to weeping 112 When and for what we are to weepe 113 Motiues to shed teares 114 4. The signes of affection not to be forgotten 115 5. In all our proceeding we are to propound some profitable end 116 What ends to be propounded in the vse of Gods ordinances 115 6. There is ioy to be found in the course of a christian 116 Obiections against this doctrine answered 116 A doubt concerning the kinds of ioy resolued 119 7. The strong Christian may receiue increase of ioy from his weaker brethren 121 Vers 5. Doctrines page 1. Faith vnfained is the best inbabitant 125 Faith defined 126 The definition explicated 126 Two degrees of faith 129 Properties of faith in generall strong or weake 129 Properties of a great faith 130 Properties of a weake faith 131 Hinderances of faith in the preacher 131 Le ts of faith in the people 132 Motiues to faith 132 2. Our profession is to be in sinceritie 133 Properties of an hypocrit 134 3. Where true faith takes possession it dwels for euer 135 Where faith is seated 136 Whether faith remaine for euer 137 Seuerall obiections about that cleered 138 4. Weaknes of sex hinders not soundnesse of faith 140 5. Faithfull parents will endeuour to make faithfull children 141 Children to be taught yong and why 142 6. Faithfull wiues may haue faithlesse husbands 143 How to choose a good husband 144 Signes of a gracious person 146 A doubtfull question concerning mariage resolued 145 7. Onfained faith cannot be had but it will be heard of 146 8. Faith workes like effects in seuerall subiects 149 Who haue faith vnfained 152 9. The approbation of Gods people is to be respected 153 How a good report may be procured 154 10. The infidelitie of a father preuents not faith in his children 154 How an vnbeleeuing husband may be discerned 155 11. Succession of faith is the best succession 155 Who might be saued in the time of Poperie 156 Vers 6. Doctrines page 1. Children are to tread in the steps of their religious parents 159 2. Good men stand in neede of a memento 159 3. The graces of the spirit are of a fierie qualitie 160 4. The gifts of God are to be stirred vp within vs. 162 What quencheth the grace of God in vs. 163 Helpes to stirre vp grace in vs Publike Priuate 164 5. Imposition of hands in the ordination of Ministers may warrantably be vsed 166 Cautions in the imposition of hands 167 6. Great care to be had in the ordination of Ministers 167 7. The ordinances of God profitable if rightly practised 168 In the vse of Gods ordinances we are to obserue how he dealeth with vs. 170 Obseruations collected not prosecuted 172 Vers 7. Doctrines page 1. The duties of our callings not to be neglected 176 2. Growne Christians freed from slauish feare 177 3. Freedome from slauish feare no small fauour 177 4. Wisedome to be obserued in prouoking others to good duties 179 5. Gods people haue the spirit of power 180 How the spirit of power may be procured 182 6. The children of God haue the spirit of loue 183 Loue defined 183 Corrolaries from the definition 185 7. Gods children loue God 186 Trials of the loue of God 186 Motiues to loue God 188 8. The children of God loue one another 189 Motiues to loue one another 193 Directions for loue 194 9. Christians haue sound mindes 194 A sound mind defined 196 A distribution 196 All the intellectuall vertues defined 197 The obiect of a sound minde 198 Mans messengers 1. Loquentia 2. Eloquentia 198 Conclusions from the former discourse 199 10. Moderation of affection required in a Christian 201 Rules for moderation 202 An obiection answered 203 A double caution 204 Sundrie doctrines collected but brieflie handled 205 Vers 8. Doctrines page 1. Doctrine reason vse is a warrantable kind of preaching 209 Why the Scripture is writ as an historie 209 Directions in the deduction and application of doctrines 210 2. No man is to be ashamed of but to beare witnes vnto the Gospell 210 What preachers be ashamed of the Gospell 211 What people are ashamed of the Gospell 211 Cautions in quotations 211 Motiues to beare witnesse to the Gospell 212 What needfull for a good witnesse 213 3. Great mens proceedings are not alwayes according to equitie 213 4. With what measure we mete to others the very same may befall our selues 214 5. We are not to be ashamed of them who suffer for the Gospell 215 6. Corporall bondage preuents not spirituall freedome 216 7. We that professe the Gospell are patiently to suffer affliction that attends it 216 8. The Gospell preached or professed alwayes persecuted 217 9. The Lord proportioneth the sufferings of his seruants according to their power 218 Power distributed 220 10. Power from God supports in affliction 220 Vers 9. Doctrines page 1. Digressions in preaching warrantable 223 Cautions to be obserued 223 2. When good men name God they make mention of some mercie of his 224 3. He that would not faint in affliction must haue an eie to his saluation 224 4. God authour of mans saluation 226 5. The saluation of the faithfull is certaine and not doubtfull 227 Reasons rendred why Salomon was saued 230 Why the Papists hold he is condemned 230 Why God might suffer so excellent a man to fall so fearefullie 230 6. The saluation of man is a rare and great blessing 232 7. One Christian reioyceth in anothers saluation 235 8. Certaintie of saluation may be had if rightly sought for 235 Causes of doubting 235 9. Effectuall vocation accompanieth saluation 236 What time the Lord ordinarilie calleth 237 How he calleth 238 Why are not all called alike 239 Aged persons rarely called and why 238 Conclusions from the precedent discourse 242 Effects of effectuall calling 244 Wherein he that is called hath experience 244 10. The calling of the faithfull is an holy calling 246 Whether Preachers not called can call others 246 11. Man not saued for his workes sake 248 Why good workes are to be done 249 What needfull to a good worke 249 12. Men will haue some kind of workes 249 13. Gods free fauour the first cause of mans felicitie 250 An obiection answered 251 14. The calling of the elect is according to Gods purpose 251 Sundry doctrines deduced but not handled 252 Vers 10. Doctrines page 1. Gods purpose in his appointed time shall come to passe 254 2. Gods gracious